A blog on politics and education, supporting socialist ideals and equality of opportunity. Against obscene wealth and inequality.

Monday, 8 June 2015

Labour "got it wrong on business". Really?

What a shame Labour "got it wrong on business" and "didn`t celebrate the
spirit of enterprise", as all the candidates for Labour`s leadership, bar Corbyn, claim. The least Miliband and his loyal
band could have done was to praise those enterprising businessmen for their role
in increasing inequality by generally refusing to pay a living wage to their
employees, but ensuring obscenely huge renumeration for themselves. By paying
wages so low, business chiefs ensured more of taxpayers` money was spent on
in-work benefits and therefore less on hospitals and schools, but their "spirit
of enterprise" means tax avoided now totals at least £40bn
annually.

Then there`s their clever trick of threatening
to leave the country if they don`t get their own way, like bankers always do if
their bonuses are threatened, or banks do, if they are to be regulated or taxed
more. Almost as enterprising as their scams, fixing Libor and forex rates,
mis-selling insurance to their customers, and laundering drug money. So many
examples, so much to be celebrated! Like the financial institutions who get
themselves represented on Treasury tax committees so that they can advise their
customers on the best way to avoid paying their fair share, or the way they get
their fees, by taking a percentage of the tax avoided. Really
enterprising!

What about those clever hotel owners who charge
on average something like £130 for a room, but pay the room-attendants less than
£3 a room? Or the CBI boss who threatens that, if rules on zero-hours contract
are changed, wealth-creators will resort to hiring workers on a daily
basis?

So much to celebrate, Andy!

I am sure there are decent employers in this
country, who treat their workers fairly, but there are clearly far too many who
don`t; until they all do, Labour should be far more careful about giving them
its support!